Foldable and suspendible rack for shoes or like articles



Nov. 27, 1945. H. E. HOFFMAN FOLDABLE AND SUSPENDABLE RACK FOR SHOES 0R LIKE ARTICLES Filed March 16, 1944 WATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE AND SUSPENDIBLE RAbK FOR SHOES OR LIKE ARTICLES Herbert E. Holfman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 16, 1944, Serial No. 526,676

2 Claims,

This invention relates to devices or racks for supporting shoes or like articles. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a rack on which shoes or like articles canbe supported in such position that each article is exposed to full view and is easily and quickly accessible and can be conveniently placed in position thereon or removed therefrom.

Another object is to provide a rack structure which can be easily and conveniently folded up into a relatively small package and accommodated in a carton or like container for shipment or storing purposes and can be quickly and conveniently unfolded and suspended from a wall or door.

A still further object is to provide suitable means whereby the articles supported on the rack will be securely held in position and prevented from accidentally dropping off.

A still other object is to provide a rack structure whose manufacture will be extremely simple and cheap, requiring but little material and tools for its production.

With these and other objects in view, my invention substantially, consists of a pair of longitudinally extending flexible elements, such as cords, held in spaced parallel relationship with one another, and a plurality of runglike cross members mounted on said elements or cords in a vertically superposed and spaced relationship to one another. of these cross members each adjacent two members serve to support one or several pairs of shoes or like articles, in a vertically disposed position, so that the upper one of the two members engages the heels of the shoes and acts as a suspension member and the lower one acts as an abutment member. To securely hold the shoes or other articles in position on or against, said supporting members, I provide suitable clamping means which in cooperation with said members, will be caused to automatically clamp the shoe in suspended position.

My invention will be clearly and fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodimen of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing the rack in use and as applied to a door;

Figure 3 is an end view of a'detail of said rack;

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively the front and side elevations of a modification of the structure shown in Figures 1 to 3; Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a front and side elevation of another modification of my device.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, ll] denotes a rack composed of a pair of longitudinally extending flexible elements I I, such as cords, or the like, which are held in parallelly spaced relationship by a plurality of rung like cross members l3 l4 and I5. These members may be provided at the ends with transversal bores, such as M shown in Figure 3, for the free passage of the cords II, The upper ends H of the cords, projecting through the bores I4 of the member l3 are knotted together and have fastened to them a hook I2 or the like, whereby the rack may be suspended from a nail N or the like, projecting from a wall or door D (Figure 2). The lowermost rung [5 may have a cord H attached to it whereby it may be fastened to a nail N for preventing the rack from swaying. All these rungs or cross members are arranged in a vertically superposed and spaced relationship to one another, the same being heldin that relationship by stops 20 fixed to the cords H. The upper most rung l3 and the lowermost run l5 may serve merely as spacers for the cords I I and instead of being movable, as shown, may be fixed to the cords II by pins (not shown). 0f the intermediate rungs or members I4, l5 each adjacent two constitute a couple of supports for one or more pairs of shoes or like articles, the upper one of each couple being adapted to engage the heel of a shoe and thus act as suspension member, while the lower one merely serves to engage the sole of the shoe and acts as an abutment.

Suspended from the uppermost rung or cross member l3 as well as from each intermediate abutment member l5 are a pair of cords or other suitable flexible elements l1, one near each end, which with their opposite ends carry an auxiliary rigid cross member [6 that, as will be presently described, is adapted to act as a clamp. The cords I! are threaded through bores M provided in the suspension members I4 and which extend in a forwardly and downwardly inclined position relative to the vertical, advantageously at an angle of 45. In length the cords I! are so admeasured that in clamping position said auxiliary member I6 will engage the shoes suspended from the members l4, about or just above the middle part thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In use, the shoes or similar articles are suspended with their heels from the suspension members M to bear with their soles against the corresponding abutment members 15, as shown in Figure 2. To do this, the auxiliary members I 6 must be first swung away from the rack. The swinging of the members I6 forwardly will cause the suspension members M to ride up the cords ll. After the positioning of the shoes, as described, and the release of said auxiliary members IS, the weight of the shoes suspended from the members 14, will pull said auxiliary members l6 tightly against the shoes and automatically clamp them in suspended position.

The intermediate abutment members l like the spacer I3 may b permanently "fixed :to the cords by pins or other suitable means "(not shown).

In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, the suspension and abutment "members 14, 5 are shown fixed to the cords l I by pins '2! and the clamping member I6 is suspended from the suspension member 14 by a pair of tens'ron springs l8. In use, the clamping member '16 is first pulled away from the rackand the shoes or other articles are positioned in the same manner as in the first modification, that is, with their heels engaging the suspension members l4 "and their soles bearing against abutment members l5. 0n release the clamping-members, It by the spring force will securely clamp the shoes in position, as indicated'in Figure '5.

In the modification shown in "Figures 6 and 7, the suspension and abutment members 14, 15 respectively are also permanently ."fixed to the cords by pins 2|. The spring coils P8 are attachedto the abutment member 15 and have their opposite ends attached to cords or other flexible elements'22. ThesercordsiIare threaded through bores in the suspension member I4 and their ends :are attached tozthe clamping cross member 16. In use the clamping member 116 must be first pulledforwardly against the action .of the springs l8 and, after the positioning of the shoes, released, so that it will automatically engage the shoes and clamp them in position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure '7.

It will be obvious that shoes without heels or other articles, such as men's felt hats or the like may be securely supported on the rack in a similarmanner. In such case the article is placed to bear against the two adjacent members l4, l5 and clamped in position by the clamping member l6.

Itis'a'lso obvious that the longitudinal elements of the rack may be made of rigid, but

:foldable material, instead of cords or other fiexible material, and that the intermediate cross members may be *madeof flexible material tautly stretched between the said foldable elements.

Various other modifications may be made in the construction of my device without departing from the'spirit of my invention. I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the details described and shown.

Whatl claimis:

1. A rack for shoes'comprising 'a palr of flexible elements, capable or suspension from a stationary object, at least two cross members spaced longitudinally relative to said fiexibleelements, one' ofsaid members being slidable on said flex-- ible .elements and'servingto engage'the heel of a shoe as a suspension means,.and the other serving as abutment against the soleofithis'shoe, an auxiliary "cross member, flexible means carrying said auxiliary cross member and stationarily suspended above said slidable 'membensaid flexible means extendingthrough said slidable member and adapted to-be tensioned by the downward pull of the latter and thereby to produce a clamping effect .on the article.

2.. A rack according to-claim 1 in which -.-said slidable member isprovidedwith bores 'forthe passage of said fiexible'means,-said boresextending forwardly and downwardly at an angle to the vertical.

' HERBERT E. HOFFMAN. 

